My thoughts on politics, popular culture, religion, current events, sports, movies, and relationships. And blogging, Facebook, the Internet, and anything else that comes to mind.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Twitter!

I’m still getting my feet wet with this new online email/bulletin board/news micro-blogging service. Here is one explanation I pulled from a blog called “Two Hard Way Three”:

Messages on Twitter are limited to 140 characters; hence the “micro” part and can be viewed on the Web, through desktop and iPhone software like Iconfactory’s Twitterrific, or on your cell phone via SMS messaging.

The system is based on the concept of “followers” – you sign up to receive someone’s updates into your system of new messages, though the messages are (typically) not private – they are shared for the world to see. This fosters a back and forth on interesting postings – a conversation of sorts.

Twitter has become a popular way for people to share information of current events, ask questions or just to share part of their day.

[Back to me]

As I may have mentioned here, the Chicago Tribune publication RedEye started its own Twitter feed and invited readers to send in Twitter-sized movie reviews. I sent in reviews for Twilight and Madagascar 2, and RedEye printed both Dec. 12. If one knows someone’s Twitter tag, one can view that person’s page and/or begin to follow that person simply by adding the person’s Twitter address to http://twitter.com. Examples:http://twitter.com/salkoverhttp://twitter.com/redeyechicago

L.A.T. (Los Angeles Times) has about 20 Twitter pages specific to various subjects. A list is here (with links), along with all L.A.T.’s RSS feeds and links thereto. You can also try:http://twitter.com/washingtonposthttp://twitter.com/suntimeshttp://twitter.com/chicagotribunehttp://twitter.com/nytimeshttp://twitter.com/kosherfood

The Sun-Times started following me. Odd. I’m focusing on media here, but there are plenty of individuals and bloggers. Here are two:http://twitter.com/kvetchingeditorhttp://twitter.com/leahjones